Top for desks and the like and process for making and finishing the same



A. McLEOD.

TOP FOR DESKS AND THE LIKE AND PROCESS FOR MAKING AND FINISHING THE SAME.

APPLICATION FILED .IUNE 9,192-

1,406,270, Patented Feb. 14, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARCHIBALD MCLEOD, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

TOP FOR DESKS AND THE LIKE AND PROCESS FOR MAKING AND FINISHING THE SAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 14, 1922.

Application filed June a, 1921. Serial No. 476,156.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AncrimALo MoLnoD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grandliapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tops for Desks and the like and Processes for Making and Finishing the Same, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to tops for desks and the like and to processes for making and finishing the same; and its object is to provide a top for a desk and the like, which shall have a member, let into the body portion of the desk top adjacent its front and between its ends, and formed of a material different therefrom and peculiarly well adapted to provide a smooth and readily cleaned surface for paper to be written on while lying on said member; a further object is to provide an improved process for making such a top and for finishing the.

same.

These and any other objects hereinafter appearing are attained by the structure or structures illustrated by the accompanying drawings and hereinafter particularly described and by the process hereinafter particularly described.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a top of a desk, illustrating my invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of a portion of the same showing a stage of my process in which the desk top is being prepared for the wood-finishing operation. This view is taken on a vertical plane corresponding to line 2-2 of the other figures;

Figure 3 is a like view taken on a verticalplane corresponding to line- 3-3 of the other figures; and

Figure 4 shows in perspective the member to be let into the body portion of the desk top and also a dam in lateral registration therewith but elevated above it for clearer showing.

In Figure 1, a desk or table lha-s a top 2 whose body portion 3 is of wood. A recess at is formed therein open at the front edge 5 and at the upper surface of the said top. A plate or flat member 6, of material different from the body portion 3, (being made of other wood or preferably of fibrous material as linoleum or the like) and peculiarly well adapted to provide a smooth surface for paper being written on while lying on said member, and to be readily kept clean, is formed and fashioned to fit snugly in said recess with its upper surface registering with that of the tops body portion 3. This member is secured in said recess as by gluing. A coating, indicated at 7, of a substance adaptcd to exclude the materials employed for finishing wood and to be itself readily removed as by rubbing or scrapingsuch substance being preferably wax or parafiineis now applied to the upper surface of said member, care being taken that such coating shall not overlap the wooden body portion of the table top, i. e., that such coating shall not extend beyond the joint between said member and said body portion. To this end, I employ a dam 8, preferably formed as shown with a middle p0rtion9 and two arms 10 extending angularly therefrom, which dam I position and hold on the upper surface of the body portion 3 of the desk top, the inner edges 11 of the dam registering in such position with the edges 12 of said member 6. The dam may be socured in this position by suitable clamps 13. The coating 7 is now applied to the upper surface of said member 6 being held by said dam against contact with the body portion 3 of the desks top. The dam being now removed, the upper surface of the body portion is finished i. e., treated with stains, fillers, varnishes or the like. Such finishing being completed the coating 7 is removed from the member 6, as by scraping or rubbing. Strips 14- may be attached to the edges of the desk top as shown.

The invention being intended to be pointed out in the claims, is not to be limited toy or by details thereof illustrated by the draw ings or hereinbefore described, further than as set forth in the several claims.

I claim:

1. A process for making and finishing tops for desks and the like, which consists in: forming a recess in the bodyportion of the desk top, open at the upper surface thereof; forming a member of material different from the material of the body of the desk top and adapted to fit snugly in said recess with its upper surface registering with the desk tops upper surface; securing said member in the recess; coating the upper surface of said member with a readily-removable substance adapted to exclude wood-finishing materials;

finishing the upper surface of the desk tops body portion; and removing said coating from said member.

2. A process for making and finishing tops for desks and the like, which consists in: forming a recess in the body portion of the desk top, open at the upper surface thereof; forming a member of material difierent from the material of the body of the desk top and adapted to fit snugly in said recess with its upper surface registering with the desk tops upper surface; securing said member in the recess; positioning a dam on the upper surface of the desk tops body portion in such position that the edges of the dam register 15 with the joint between said body portion and said members upper surface; coating the upper surface of said member with a readily-removable substance adaptedto exclude wood-finishing materials; removing 20 ARCHIBALD MoLEOD.

rand Rapids, Michigan, this 25 

